[X001M3180], Letter from Wilson Stout Howell to Francis Robbins Upton, April 19th, 1888
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Title
[X001M3180], Letter from Wilson Stout Howell to Francis Robbins Upton, April 19th, 1888
Editor's Notes
[poor copy] My dear Sir: Yours of 8th instant is at hand. ## My engagement here will be terminated [xxx] to first ask of May next but I doubt if service disappointment to leave at that time excuse the company has not yet appointment a Supt. And he should be underwith me at least a month to earn the [xxx] that is a matter for which I have [xxx] responsibility, (having urged upon them the necessity of their Supts. Appointment) that I shall first at liberty to make an engagement with your date from May 15th or as soon after May 1st as assistant with my verbal and written engagement spoken of above. Regarding the work to be some Newburgh. I am in ignorance, I presume it to be [xxx] a mechanical. I presume that [xxx] and hope you have a [xxx] your distributing and upgrades in [xxx] and inquire balancing adjustment standardizing that your station methods and practice be benefited by proper systematizing and that the work can all be done in less than four months. I shall gladly undertake to correct any fausible connected with these branches of the business and to all I can in any other branch to help those in charge but I must state that business management is not my strong point but is decidedly distrastefull to [xxx] and in fact the one branch of station work which desire to avoid. I assumed it here and which have not. It was forced upon me at New Brunswick to my sorrow. I can run your station, put in good shape, keep it so, satisfy consumers and them, and under average circumstances increase the [xxx] but to do this I must have good help, that is good wired good meter man, good help in office, good engineers and fireman. My experience reliable steady that the people prefer it to any other light and willingly pay more for it, excepting perhaps, in localities which the merchants are Feeder people are pour or [xxx] doing a prosperous business. For an example a market, when I arrived there last Oct. they were [xxx] customers because light was not good; instantly with made changes resulting in poor light and bad life of lamps. Today they are taking on customers rapidly as they can wire them because the light is satisfactory, which with its natural concerinces [xxx] general advantages makes a demand for it. ## I believe that you will find a station to be worked at its best economy when its customers are most pleased or that the station which is working at get all around or good average economy is the one which having it customers are gaining others. ## I do not have it [xxx] condition or circumstances or the charged; of work required of me but I am willing to take charge, the whole plant in such order as to get the best results, break in a instruct a suitable Supt., and set of men upon the following terms vix. For two or three weeks work $10 per day and expence for one month work $7.50 per day and expences, for two or months work $200 per month and all travelling expenses. On short engagements I always charge all expenses (board and railroad) but where I can make longer engagements only necessary travelling expenses. ## have a few days work to do at Harrisburgh and probably at Lancaster. I am negotiating with a party at Pittston to up a station. I offered to put it up if he closed with Edison Co. but not if he closed with Westinghouse will see him tomorrow but shall make all agreements with him subject to your answer to this, provided I get a positive answer from you in a reasonable time.
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1888-04-19
Type
Folder/Volume ID
X001M3-F
Document ID
X001M3180
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University